Apparatus for producing lined envelopes



April 30, 1968 E. J. MITTERMAYER 3,330,353

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APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING LINED ENVELOPES Filed May 11, 1966 5Sheets-Sheet 5 [72 van for 5:513:62; zll'fiiidrnz ayer WM, 54am 9L wamUnited States Patent 3,380,353 APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING LINED ENVELOPESEmerick J. Mittermayer, Norridge, Ill., assignor to American EnvelopeCompany, a corporation of Illinois Continuation-impart of applicationSer. No. 382,222,

July 13, 1964. This application May 11, 1966, Scr. No. 549,299

7 Claims. (CI. 93-61) ABSTRACT OF THE BISCLOSURE The present inventionrelates to a unit for depositing envelope liners on envelope blanksmoving through a high-speed envelope manufacturing machine.

The unit, which is constructed to be attachable to existing high-speedmachines, employs a series of smooth operating rotating segments to movethe liners along a predetermined path and deposit them in timed relationon each envelope blank in a predetermined position with respect thereto.

This invention relates to an envelope machine for producing linedenvelopes, and particularly it relates to such a machine of thecontinuous high speed type wherein envelopes having tapered sealingflaps may be provided with liners that are symmetrical to the taperededges of the flap.

Lined envelopes with the liner edges conformed with tapered edges of thesealing flap have been produced heretofore on rather slow specializedenvelope machines wherein pre-cut envelope blanks and liner blanks havebeen fed to a plunger type envelope forming mechanism.

The operation of such mechanism has been relatively slow and themechanism is so highly specialized that it cannot be profitably employedin the manufacture of unlined envelopes.

Efforts have been made heretofore to produce lined envelopes on highspeed envelope machines, but as heretofore practiced, this linerapplying operation produced an envelope where the edges of the linercould not be symmetrically related to the edges of a tapered sealingflap.

In view of the foregoing it is the primary object of the presentinvention to enable tapered flap envelopes to be produced withsymmetrical liners on a high speed envelope machine, and a relatedobject is to accomplish this in such a way that the envelope machine maybe used as required for making conventional envelopes as well as linedenvelopes of the aforesaid character. Another important object relatedto the foregoing is to enable such symmetrically lined envelopes to beproduced at high speed with liners made of different kinds and weightsof material including metal foil or metalized paper stock.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent fromthe following description and claims, which, -by way of illustrationshow a preferred embodiment of the present invention and the principlesthereof, and what is now considered to be the best mode in which toapply these principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodying thesame or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may bemade as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from theinvention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a somewhat schematic view of a high speed envelope machineequipped with the liner-applying means of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the final stage ofapplication of a liner to an envelope blank;

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FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view of a part of the blank feedingmechanism that supplies the liners;

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross sectional view of the blank feedingmechanism, the view being taken substantially along the line 4-4 of FIG.3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmental perspective view of the blank feeding mechanismtaken generally from the right in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view showing certain elements of FIG. 4 in differentpositions;

FIG. 7 is a view of an envelope blank with a tapered scaling flap andhaving a symmetrical liner in position thereon;

FIG. 8 is a view showing the liner;

FIG. 9 is a view showing the envelope blank and liner structure of FIG.7 after the end and bottom flaps of the envelope blank have been foldedand adhered in their final positions to complete the lined envelope;

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 4 illustrating a modified transferarrangement; and

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 2, illustrating, in perspective, thetransfer mechanism of FIG. 10.

For purposes of disclosure the invention has been illustrated herein asincorporated in a high speed envelope machine 20, and this machine maybe of any of the conventional types known in this field. The machinethat is diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 1 is a machine made by F.L. Smith Machine Co. of New York, N.Y., and in this machine, which hasan elongated frame 21, the envelope blanks are introduced into themachine at the right hand end thereof in a stepped or fannedrelationship in which the sealing flaps of the envelopes have glueapplied thereto, and these envelope blanks are then carried on a dryingconveyor 22 over a relatively long path beneath the bed of the machine,and this drying conveyor carries the envelopes in an overlapping orstepped relation upwardly and about an end cylinder 23 to a separatorstation 24 where means including withdrawing segments 25 separate andwithdraw the leading envelope blank in a right hand direction so thateach individual envelope blank is introduced to the input end ofconveyor mechanism which includes belts 27 engaging the end flaps of theblank. Such conveyor means serves to advance the envelope blank at highspeed into and through mechanisms that are distributed along the upperbed of the machine frame 21. It will be noted that the mechanisms alongthe upper bed of the machine, including a scoring and creasing unit 28,a folding unit 29 and cooperating elements are provided in aconventional manner beyond and t0 the right of the portion of theenvelope machine that is shown in FIG. 1 to complete the folding andsecuring of the end and bottom flaps, thereby to complete the formationof the envelope.

The liner applying means of the present invention are disposed on theupper bed of the frame 21 between the separator 25 and the scoring andcreasing unit 28, and such means includes a liner feeding unit 30 whichcooperates with the conveyor and a conventional glue applying unit 31 inlocating and securing a liner in position on each envelope blank as itis advanced toward the creasing unit 28. Before describing the specificcharacteristics of the liner feeding unit 30,, one specific form ofenvelope 35 and the liner 45 will be described by reference particularlyto FIGS. 7 to 9 of the drawings. Thus, in FIG. 7, an envelope blank 35Bis shown having end fiaps 37, a bottom flap 38 and a sealing flap 39,extending from the main or front wall portion 40 of the blank.Initially, the blank 35B is plain or uncreased, but in FIG. 7 crease orfold lines 41 and 42 are indicated in the positions in which they willbe formed in the course of manufacture of the envelope.

It is noted in particular that the sealing flap 39 has tapered edges 39Ewhich in this instance define a pointed sealing flap 39, but it will beunderstood that other forms of sealing flaps may be used wherein thetapered edges 39E bear a somewhat different relationship to each other.

The envelope is made under the present invention through the applicationof the liner 45 to the envelope blank 35B, and this liner 45 has a mainbody portion that is just slightly smaller than the front face of theenvelope blank, and it has a flap portion 46 that has tapered edges4613, these tapered edges 4613 being arranged so that when the liner isfixed in position on the inner face of the main front wall and thesealing flaps 39, the edges 46E will be parallel to the edges 39E and46E in spaced relation so as to expose the glue area 39G along theborder portions of the sealing flap 39. Here again the relationship ofthe edges 46E will vary according to the particular shape or relation ofthe tapered edges of the sealing flap. The main wall of the liner hasstraight parallel sides 45S and a bottom edge 45B and these sides areproportioned so the main wall of the liner may be positioned on the mainwall 40 of the envelope blank 35B with sufficient clearance about theedges of the liner to permit subsequent folding of the flaps 37 and 38in the completion of the lined envelope 35 of FIG. 9.

The liner separating and applying unit 30 is shown in detail in FIGS. 1to 6 of the drawings and is made up as a unit that may be mounted inposition on the upper bed of the envelope machine between the glue unit31 and the scoring and creasing unit 28. Thus the unit 30 embodies apair of rigidly connected side frames 50 along the lefthand edges ofwhich a main drive shaft 51 is mounted for operating the severalmechanisms of the unit 30 as will be described. The drive shaft 51 isadjustably connected to and operated in a conventional manner in timedrelation to the other mechanisms of the envelope machine, thisconnection is made by the take-off shaft that is provided in machines ofthis character for use in operating a window patch-applying mechanism inmaking window envelopes.

The unit 30 has a hopper 52 mounted near the right hand side of the unitas shown in FIG. 4, and this hopper includes a bottom plate 53 disposedso that it slopes upwardly and to the left as shown in FIG. 4 and havinga forward edge 5315 that is disposed over a draw roller 54 thatfunctions in association with the sheet separating means, as will bedescribed, for withdrawing the lowermost liner 45 from a stack thereofthat is provided on the bottom wall 53 of the hopper. The liners 45 arestacked in the hopper face down and with the square bottom edge 45Bthereof disposed to the left as viewed in FIG. 4, and l the location ofthe stack in the hopper 52 is such that the liners extend for aconsiderable distance beyond the edge 53E and into position directlyover a pair of segmental withdrawing rolls 55 that are mounted on androtate with a suction shaft 56 that extends between the side frame 50.

The segmental rollers 55 have a basic diameter and location such thatthe periphery of the segmental rollers 55 engages the draw roll 54 sothat :a pull-out action may be exerted on the lowermost liner as will bedescribed.

Basically, each roller has a cutout portion that provides a leadingfinger 55L and a trailing finger 5ST that have slots 57L and 57T locatedinwardly of the two fingers. The ends of the two fingers are spacedapart about 90 about the axis of the shaft 56, and means are providedfor pulling the overhang portion of the lowermost liner 4'5 downwardlyinto the space between the two fingers SSL and 55T so that the edge 45Bof such liner will be disposed in position to be engaged in the slots57T during rotation of the rolls 55 in clockwise direction as viewed inFIG. 4.

The sheet separating means that are provided for bending the overhangingedge of the lowermost edge of the line downwardly as above describedtake the form of a sucker arm 60 mounted on a hollow sucker shaft 61that extends between the side frames 50. At its right hand the suckerarm has a Sucker head 62 with openings 63 in its upper surface, andsuction is applied to these openings .63 from the sucker shaft 61 intimed relation to the operation or rotation of the segmental rollers 55,and this of course is in timed relation to the rocking movement of thesucker arm 60. Thus the sucker arm 60 is rocked in a counterclockwisedirection into engagement, as shown in full lines in FIG. 4, with thelowermost liner 45 near the left hand end thereof. While the suctioncontinues, the sucker arm 60 moves downwardly to the dotted lineposition shown in FIG. 4 and in such movement of course the sucker arm60 and the head 62 thereof move into the space between the two segmentalrollers 55. The downward movement of the sucker head 62 bends thelowermost sheet or liner 45 downwardly to the dotted line position shownin FIG. 4, and this occurs at about the time when the trailing fingers5ST are advancing to the right toward a position over the upper surfaceof the liner 45 that has been bent downwardly. The movement of the rolls55 continues so that the edge 45B is embraced Within the slots or hooklike recesses S7T, so that in continued clockwise movement of thesegment rollers 55, the liner 45 will be bent into a position adjacentto the draw roll 54, and at that time in the cycle, the ends of thetrailing fingers 5ST engage the liner on its upper face and the liner isdrawn into position between the draw roll 54 and the fingers 5ST. Theouter surface of the fingers 5ST are relieved somewhat as at 155, FIG.4, but when the end of this relieved portion is reached, the liner isgripped by the draw roller 54 and the surfaces of the segmental rolls55, and the liner 45 is withdrawn by the cooperating action of the rolls54 and S5.

The rapid shifting of the bent edge of the liner 45 in the foregoingoperation is facilitated by providing for the use of pressure air as theliner 45 is released from the sucker head 62 and is bent toward the drawroller 54. Thus as shown particularly in FIGS. 4 to 6, a pair of blowerheads 65 are mounted by means of hollow arms 66 on a rocker shaft 67,this rocker shaft 67 being extended between the side plates 50. Therocker shaft 67 operates in timed relation to the sucker arm 60 so thatwhen the sucker arm 60 is adjacent to its lower limit of travel and hasbent the lowermost liner 45 to the relationshi shown in FIG. 6, theblower heads 65 are moved from the retracted position of FIG. 4 to theposition shown in FIG. 6, and at about this same time an independentlyrockable retainer arm 68 is also moved into position beneath the linerthat is directly above the one that has been just bent downwardly. Theretaining arm 68 and the blower heads 65 thus tend to hold and supportthe stack, and particularly the liner 45 that is now to form the bottomof the stack, and while the retaining arm 68 and the heads 65 are thusin position, air blasts are discharged from each of the blower heads 65downwardly toward the upper surface of the liner 45 that has been bentdownward by the sucker head 62. At the time when the air blast isapplied from the blower heads 65, the suction in the sucker head 65 isrelieved so that the downwardly directed air may bend the liner 45 pastthe sucker head and into position to be engaged by the trailing fingers5ST of the segmental rolls '55. The location of the edges 45B of thestacked rollers is determined by a serrated member 70 supported by anarm 71 from a cross shaft 72 and this shaft 72 may be rocked through alimited range so that the serrated member 70 moves up and down inengagement with the edges 45B of the liners, thus to tend to provide aninitial separation of the liners from each other.

It has been pointed out that the lowermost liner 45 is Separated andbent downwardly into position between the draw roll 54 and the surfacesof the fingers 5ST, and the leading or bottom edge of the liner 45 isheld in surface contact with the fingers 55T by applying suction to aplurality of openings 75 formed in the outer surfaces of the fingers 5STas illustrated for example in FIGS. 3 to 5 of the drawings. Thus thepulling action that withdraws liner from the bottom of the stack isprovided by the gripping action of the opposed surfaces of the rolls 54and 55, and the leading edge of the liner 45 is held in contact for alimited period with the surfaces of the fingers 5ST. Near the bottom ofthe periphery of the rolls 55, the leading edge of the liner 45 istransferred to another advancing or feeding means, and the suction onthe openings 75 is released.

Such additional feeding means are provided by a belt 78, FIGS. 2 and 4.The belt 78 is endless in character and runs about a drive pulley 80 andpulleys 81 and 82, and a tightening puily 83 serves to maintain tension.The pulley 82 is located between the two segment rollers 55, anddirectly opposite a pressure roller 85 that bears against a downwardlyfacing portion of the belt 78. The belt 78 and the roller 85 are engagedat a point where the leading edge 45B of the advancing liner 45 is movedinto the bight between the belt 78 and the roller 85, and it is at thistime that the suction on the segment rollers 55 is released so that theadvancing leading edge of the liner may be carried forward between thebelt 78 and the roller 85. The liner 45 advances along with the belt 78into the bight between the belt 78 and guide roll 87 over which the belt78 runs as it passes from the roller 82 to the roller 81. As the liner45 passes the roller 87, it passes in a downward and left hand directionas viewed in FIG. 4 across a guide plate 89, and from this point theliner 45 advances into tangential contact with a rotating segment 90that is carried on a suction shaft 91 that extends rotatably between theside plates 50. The segment 90 is so constructed and arranged that theperiphery of the segment 90 will contact an envelope blank 35B that isbeing advanced in a right hand direction along a support plate 95. It isalong this support plate that the envelope blanks 35B are advanced bythe conveyor means such as the belts 27, and the ultimate objective ofthe guiding and feeding path for the liners 45 is to advance such linersand then press the same downwardly against the glued envelope blank inthe proper registered relationship as the envelope blank moves to theright in FIG. 4. The segment 90 has suitable suction openings 905 formedtherein and suction is applied thereto so that when the leading edge ofthe liner is moved into position opposite the segment 90, suction willbe applied and the leading edge of the liner will be held in position onthe segment as the segment rotates, and thus the liner will be appliedin the proper relationship to the advancing envelope blank 35B.

The drive pulley 80 for the belt 78 is mounted on a shaft 97 which isdriven by a gear 98, this gear being meshed with a gear 99 which ismounted on a shaft that is driven by a chain and sprocket means 100 fromthe drive shaft 51. The same shaft has a gear 101 mounted thereon thatmeshes with a gear 102 on the shaft 56, thus to drive the shaft 56 intimed relation to the other portions of the mechanism.

Referring now to FIGURES and 11, there is illus trated a modifiedarrangement for transferring liner blanks from the draw rolls 55 to therotating segment 90 which places the envelope liner in the properposition on the blank. In accordance with the invention, therefore,there is provided a transfer cylinder 125 disposed between the drawrolls 55 and the segment 90 in a position topick up the liner adheringto the draw rolls and move it to a position where it may be picked up bythe rotating segment 90.

In order to accomplish this, the cylinder 125 is positioned on an axisparallel with the axes of the rolls 55 and segment 90, and is of such adiameter that only a very slight clearance is provided between thesurfaces of the cylinder and the adjacent members. The cylinder isevacuated in the central space 127 which defines a vacuum chamber, and aplurality of suitably grouped pick-up holes 130 are provided extendingradially through the cylinder wall where they define a series of suctionports. The negative pressure in the chamber is sutficient to causeenough pull at the ports 130 to gently, but firmly, remove the liner onthe rolls 55. It will be understood, of course, that the cylinder isdriven in timed relation with the rolls so that the ports will be in theproper position to pick off the liner as it moves to the area directlyadjacent the surface of the cylinder 125.

The transfer cylinder rotates in the direction of the arrow, to aposition adjacent the segment 90, where the vacuum imposed at the ports130 is momentarily relieved in any suitable fashion to permit thesegment 90 to remove the liner from the transfer cylinder as hereinpreviously described. In order to protect the exposed area of thetransfer cylinder during the course of its travel with the liner memberadhered thereto, a suitable protective shroud is provided, and issuitably positioned on an arm 137 which is adjustably connected to amounting member 139.

In order, in keeping with the invention, to insure the precise timingrequired of the device of the present invention be maintained at thehighest possible speeds, the envelope blank follows a path betweenmoving belts. Referring particularly to FIGURE 10, it will be seen thata belt 140 is provided beneath the envelope blank, and that that belt istoothed on the side engaging the drive pulley, such as may be found inknown timing belt arrangements. The belt is driven by a gear 142, andbecause of the relationship between the belt and gear, a more positivedrive arrangement is provided, thereby insuring the proper timing of thearrival of the envelope and its associated liner at the highest possibleoperative speeds.

With the present mechanism, the rotative connection between the shaft 51and the drive mechanism of the main envelope machine may be adjusted,thus to provide proper registry of the liners 45 with respect to theenvelope blanks 35B, and this assures that the tapered edges of theliner 45 will bear the proper relationship to the tapered edge of thesealing flap of the envelope 35.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the presentinvention provides a new and improved mech anism for producing linedenvelopes where the sealing flap and the corresponding flap of the linerhave correspondingly tapered edges, and it will be apparent that thisliner mechanism may be associated with a conventional high speedenvelope machine so that the machine may be used either for producingconventional envelopes or for producing tapered flap lined envelopes.

Thus while a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustratedherein, it is to be understood that changes and variations may be madeby those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scopeof the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A liner unit adapted for use in conjunction with an envelope machinein which a series of envelope blanks having tapered flaps are deliveredin overlapping relation and in which the advancing blanks are withdrawnand fed along the machine bed at high speed towards gluing and foldingapparatus, said liner unit being positioned adjacent the bed before thegluing and folding apparatus, and comprising the combination of a hopperfor supporting a stack of pre-cut tapered liners having a portionthereof projecting beyond an edge of said hopper, a movable sucker armfor engaging the projecting portion of the lowermost liner in saidstack, a rotating shaft having spaced rollers secured thereto, meansdriving said sucker arm in timed relation with said rotating shaft tomove the same to a position between adjacent rollers to thereby bringthe engaged portion of the lowermost liner against the surface of saidmoving rollers, movable control means operable in conjunction with said.arm to selectively direct a blast of air against the portion of theliner engaged with said rollers so as to hold the same against thesurface thereof as said arm is withdrawn, said rollers adapted to 7Withdraw said liner from said hopper, and intermediate transfer meansfor receiving the Withdrawn liner and moving the same along a controlledpath, a rotating segment at the end of said path for receiving saidliner and applying the same in a precisely predetermined position on anenvelope blank moving along the bed of the machine.

2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said movable sucker armand said rollers are each provided with a plurality of ports, and ameans for the selective application of a negative pressure to said portsfor engaging and holding a portion of the liner against said arm.

3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said movable controlmeans includes an elongated arm, said arm being reciprocably movable intimed relation with the movement of said sucker arm, to a positionbetween said stack and said rotating shaft, said arm having a nozzlethereon for selectively directing a blast of positive pressure airagainst the portion of the liner engaged with said rollers on saidshaft, and means for applying the blast of air from said elongated armin conjunction with the release of the negative pressure at said suckerarm.

4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein a finger is provided,said finger being movable with said blower arm to a position immediatelybelow the projecting portions of said liners in said stack to therebyhold the same while the lowermost liner is being withdrawn therefrom.

S. The apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said intermediatetransfer means includes a rotating transfer cylinder disposed betweensaid rotating shaft and rotating segment, said transfer cylinder beingconstructed to receive the liner from said rollers and transfer the sameto said rotating segment in timed relation with the movement of theenvelope along the bed of the machine.

6. The apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said transfer cylinderis formed with a plurality of spaced ports on the surface thereof, meansfor selectively generating a negative pressure at said ports to therebypick up and hold the liner on said rollers to the surface of saidtransfer cylinder and move the same into contact with said rotatingsegment.

7. A method of applying a pre-cut liner member to an envelope blankcomprising the steps of: advancing a series of serially spaced orientedenvelope blanks along a predetermined path, providing a plurality ofpre-cut liners in stacked oriented relation, separating a portion of oneof said liners from said stack, grasping such separated portion andwithdrawing said liner thereby from said stack, transferring said linerto a position immediately adjacent an envelope traveling along saidpath, and applying said liner in properly oriented position to saidenvelope blank.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,242,799 5/1941 Moore W 93613,093,371 6/1963 Glaser et al. 27l29 BERNARD STICKNEY, Primary Examiner.

